The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of orchid plant, botanically known as Ionocidium and referred to by the cultivar name ‘Haruri’. The genus Ionocidium is a member of the family Orchidaceae. ‘Haruri’ is characterized by its attractive and unique labellum which is yellow at the beginning of flowering, but in about one week becomes purple (RHS purple group, but a pinkish color). The new cultivar originated from a hybridization made in a controlled breeding program in Hiroshima, Japan in 1995. Haruri resulted from a cross between Ionopsis utricularioides and Oncidium flexuosum. Approximately 300 seedlings were produced from the hybridization in November 1996. ‘Haruri’ was discovered and selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross during the flowering period from December 1997 to May 1998 in Hiroshima, Japan.
The new cultivar is a perennial and an epiphytic plant. It is used as flowering potted-plants for the home and interiorscape and to furnish cut flowers. ‘Haruri’ produces compound racemes with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The time of flowering is irregular with the flowering period being about 2 months. The flowers possess three sepals and 2 lateral petals. The modified abaxial petal of the flower, called the labellum, is yellow in color at the beginning of flowering, but as the days pass it undergoes a massive change and becomes purple. At the base of the labellum there is some sesamoid purple-red variegation, but this color does not change. Yellow callus is attached to the base of the labellum. The color of the lateral petals and sepals does not change. The plant grows fast and under standard growing methods, it requires 1 to 1.5 years after planting until flowering.
The new orchid cultivar ‘Haruri’ is different from commercially available orchids of the same type such as Oncidium flexuosum and Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’. Comparison testing has established the following differences between the ‘Haruri’ and Oncidium flexuosum:                 1. The labellum of ‘Haruri’ changes color from yellow to purple after flowering compared to the labellum of Oncidium flexuosum which remains yellow and does not change color.        2. ‘Haruri’ has more flowers per inflorescence than Oncidium flexuosum.         3. The stem of Oncidium flexuosum is brown, whereas that of ‘Haruri’ is green.        4. The upper leaf surface of ‘Haruri’ is deep green unlike the whitish green upper surface of Oncidium flexuosum.         
The following differences were observed between ‘Haruri’ and Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’:                1. The labellum of Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’ remains yellow and does not change, whereas the labellum of ‘Haruri’ changes after flowering.        2. The inflorescence width of ‘Haruri’ is approximately half that of Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’.        3. The leaf length of ‘Haruri’ is approximately one third that of Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’.        4. The leaf of ‘Haruri’ is narrower and thinner than that of Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’.        5. Oncidium ‘Gower Ramsey’ mainly flowers in autumn, whereas ‘Haruri’ flowers irregularly.        
General observations: Leaves are fleshy and fast growing compared with other crosses between Ionopsis utricularioides and Oncidium flexuosum. The plant has a high productivity rate. One pseudobulb sometimes grows 5 stems. Flowering is highly irregular, and when the flowering period finishes, the plant immediately grows a new pseudobulb and flowers about half a year later.
The first successful asexual reproduction of ‘Haruri’ was performed by use of mericlones. This propagation took place in Hiroshima, Japan in December 1999. The characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘Haruri’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.